METHOD OF MANUFACTURING KNEAD-MELT TONER BY SPRAY GRANULATION, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC TONER, TONER CONTAINER, ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGE FORMING METHOD

摘要

PPROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing toner particularly having high energy efficiency and productivity by melting a kneaded material comprising toner structural materials conventionally used for the manufacture of toner by a pulverization system, then by producing fine particles by a spray granulation method, and to provide toner produced by the method with which an electrophotographic image having excellent thin line reproducibility, gradation or the like comparable with a silver salt image, and to provide a method for forming an image by using the toner. PSOLUTION: The method for manufacturing the electrophotographic toner is characterized in that after and/or while a kneaded material selected from the following (1), (2) and (3) is melted, the material is sprayed by a high pressure gas to produce fine particles. The kneaded material comprises: (1) at least a binder resin, a colorant and a charge controlling agent; (2) at least a binder resin, a colorant, a charge controlling agent and wax; or (3) at least a binder resin, a magnetic agent, a charge controlling agent and wax. PCOPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI